Nonpro t
BY SARAH HERNANDEZ
Urban Roots teaches students skills in leadership, agriculture and food advocacy.
COURTESY URBAN ROOTS
Urban Roots started in 2008 as a program where high school students could work and learn on an urban organic farm.
COURTESY JOSHUA GUARDADO
Urban Roots cultivates young leaders, food access
Urban Roots welcomes volunteers and o ers educational farm tours.
and 2023. Micaela Buda, development manager at Urban Roots, said the organization’s vision is a future of con dent, environmentally conscious leaders. An equitable food system is only achiev- able through collaboration, she said. About the program Urban Roots o ers paid internships to high school students where they plant, harvest and pack food at the organization’s farms in East and South Austin. Corbin said it’s important to o er teenagers hands-on, immersive opportunities. “We are making a real di erence to our neigh- bors right now by giving them the fresh vegetables that we grew,” Buda said.
Youth-centered nonpro t organization Urban Roots is “growing young minds.” The background Urban Roots was founded in 2008 as part of another nonpro t YouthLaunch, said Sydney Corbin, associate director of youth and education at Urban Roots. It was an after-school program where high school students could work and learn on an urban organic farm. Eventually, Urban Roots branched o to focus on youth leadership and development as well as food distribution and access e orts. According to the organization’s 2023 report, they paid youth leaders $122,000 for their work and grew 91,704 servings of produce between the summers of 2022
COURTESY URBAN ROOTS
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A 7651 Delwau Lane, Austin B 4711 Winnebago Lane, Austin www.urbanrootsatx.org
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION
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